Can-soldering machine



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS H. HAMILTON, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

CAN-SOLDERING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 235,428, dated December14, 1880.

Application filed October 5, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS H. HAMILTON, of Baltimore city, State ofMaryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in(Jan-Soldering Machines; and I hereby declare the same to be fully,clearly, and exactly described as follows, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of thedevice. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the clampingdevice; andFig.3 is a top plan of the same.

My invention relates to devices for soldering the side seams of squarecans such as are commonly used for containing raw oysters.

In this class of cans a rectangular wall-blank is cut out and is bentfour times at right angles, the end edges of the blank being caused tooverlap slightly to form the side seam. The other edges of the blank arebent inward at right angles, forming a flange at each end, against whichthe heads rest. Inasmuch as thesecans are made of a standard size,(about six inches by four anda half by one and threequarters,) and thepacking-cases are made to contain a particular number of them, it is adesideratum', or rather a practical necessity, that the cans be uniformin size, as the result of any irregularity would be to prevent thecomplement of cans being packed in the case properly.

My invention is designed to provide a machine for soldering thelongitudinal seam, which shall so clamp the cans, preparatory tosoldering, that they are of absolutely uniform size, so far, at least,as diameter is concerned.

Uniformityas to length necessarily results from the mode of cutting theblank. p

- In the accompanying drawings, A is a standard, rigidly secured uponthe support B, and on it is mounted a wheel, 0, which carries a numberofuprights, D, preferably four. From the upper end of the upright Dprojects horizontally a rectangular plate, F, which is accurately of thesize of the smaller sides of the can.

E is a bearing, in which is pivoted a lever, G, to the outer end ofwhich, at a, the clamp and guide H is secured. This latter. has abeveled lip, 72, and a clamping lip .or face, h,

and to either end is secured a spring-clamp, t, having a curved end, 1',as shown, To the (No model.)

inner end of the lever is attached a rod, b, terminating below the wheel0 in a disk, d. A rod, f, also terminating in a disk, 6, projects upwardthrough the support B, and at its lower end carries a treadle. A spring,connects the outer end of the lever G with the wheel 0, normally holdingthe lever down, as shown. A little cup, g, for the solder, isconveniently secured near the can L when in place on the plate F.

It will be understood that in Fig. 1 I have shown but a single clampingmechanism, as above described, and have shown the wheel G as broken awayat the right of the standard.

In practice four of the clamps are carried by a single wheel; but asthey are all alike I .have considered it necessary to show but one.

In practice the blank being cut is bent, as indicated, four times atright angles, one of the small sides, m, of the can being at one edge ofthe blank and being of full width-that is, wide enough to abut againstthe larger side a of the can when the blank is clamped upon thegageplate F. The edge of the larger side is turned over to form aflange, I, about a quarter of an inch wide, or rather less, which lieson the small side m, as shown in Fig. 2. The blank being so formed theoperator stands on the side of the machine oppositethe rod f and itstreadle and revolves the wheel 0 until one of the clamps comes in frontof him. In this position the disk d comes under the disk 0, and as thetreadle is depressed the lever G, clamp H, and spring-clamps t areraised. The blank is then slid over the plate F, and the clamps areallowed to descend, being drawn down by the spring I. It will be seenthat as the beveled lip h on one side and the spring-clamp i on theother come to bear on the can blank the larger sides of the same arepressed against the plate F, which accurately gages the side of the can.Finally the lip h comes down on the seam very near to its edge, as shownin Fig. 2, and the clamping is complete. The operator then throws alittle powdered rosin on the seam, revolves the wheel a quarter of aturn, and proceeds to clamp a second one. Pending the clamping of thesecond or subsequent can, another operator 011 the other side of themachine throws a lump of solder on the seam of the can-blank firstclamped, and runs the iron along the same, melting the solder andsecuring the seam. In this operation the iron rests against the side ofthe clamp II, which directs the edge of the iron fairly on the seam, andserves as a gage in running the iron back and forth. As the soldered cancomes around to the first operator he releases the clamp, removes thecan, and applies another bent blank, as above described.

The clamps H and 2' serve to hold the can with a yielding pressure andbring the tin close]; against the plate F, a result which could notconveniently be attained were the parts rigid.

'hat I claim is- 1. In combination with the gageplate and pivoted lever,the clamping plate H, and springs i t, as set forth.

2. In combination with the gage-plate, the clamping-plate havinglipshh', and the springs 20 i i, as set forth.

3. In combination with the plate F, the clamp H, springs i I, and leverG, and meehanism for operating the latter, as set forth.

4. In combination, with the revolving table 25 C, the clampingmechanism, consisting of the plate F, clamp H, springs i I, lever G,rods b f, and disks d e, as set forth.

THOS. H. HAMILTON.

Witnesses:

S. D. WILLIAMS, J N0. '1. Mumox.

